TravelStream™ news feed for member decemberchick on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/decemberchick en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:03:29 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227539400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227539400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227539400/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:03:29 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

After another bus journey, we were back in Phnom Penh. After lunch, most of us took a cyclo tour around town - single-person seats pushed by someone riding a bicycle behind it. It was an interesting way to travel, and we visited a few cool sights. Also nice and slow for taking photos! By the time dinner rolled around, I was once again feeling not so great. i went out anyways, and lo and behold found Poutine on the menu! In spite of all the cheese (NOT good for a bad stomach) I enjoyed every last bite and boy did I suffer. I slept horribly, stomach cramps waking me up all night. In the morning I attempted to get ready for a morning at a museum and the markets, and the pain was so bad I couldn't even do it. Kerryn, ever the Pharmacist, found a pharmacy and got some meds for me (less than an American $ too!) so I again slept away the morning, and once again attempted to go with the group in the afternoon- to the Tul Sleung museum (an old school renovated into a prison/torture chamber during the Khmer Red regime) and the Killing Fields. Well, after standing up for about 3 minutes at the museum, I couldn't even do it. Harry was really helpful, getting me water and Tiger Balm (the solution to everything, apparently) and I ended up just laying in the bus sleeping for the whole hour. I missed out, although it was none to pleasant, but I still have a gaping hole in my knowledge of what the Cambodians and unlucky people from other countries who were here at that time went through. I managed to stand and walk for about 15 minutes at the killing fields- more than long enough. The memorial Stupa is filled with skulls that have been dug up from the site. the paths you walk upon have human bones visible on the surface- even a few teeth lying around. Not to mention the clothing remnants strewn about.  And dug out holes that somehow held an unimaginable amount of bodies. Chilling.The bus dropped me off at the hotel, and the rest of the group headed out for some Cambodian Kickboxing. I was gutted! Everyone said it was pretty cool, hopefully I can go in Bangkok! (What a Christmas activity!) Needless to say I skipped out on dinner as well.in the morning I managed to get on the bus, for a long drive- it was time to sadly leave Cambodia and head into Vietnam. We had lunch at a Pho restaurant (noodle soup- a Vietnamese dish) and wandered the markets. What a difference between Cambodians and Vietnamese- they grab you to get you to look at their stalls! And not so nice either. After a rest, we headed out in the evening for our group farewell dinner. Feeling mostly better, I fulfilled my pizza craving but my eyes were bigger than my stomach, I felt sick all night! We went out for a few drinks, but I called it an early night after bidding farewell to Sean and Neil, the two who would be leaving us before we began the Vietnam portion of the trip.After a morning of stomach cramps, and chilling out for the afternoon watching the new movie Quantum of Solace (is that even the right name? James Bond anyways!) I finally felt 100% well again in the evening. Well enough, at our first dinner with our new leader, Nga (we're going to have fun learning to pronounce that one!) that I had my first taste of Frog! Grilled, with lemongrass and Chilli. No joke, it tasted like chicken. Although by the end of it, i think I had had enough that it started to develop a definite froggy taste. This morning, the majority of us headed out by private minibus to the Cu Chi tunnels- a massive tunnel network used in the war. Insane how complex they are! We had a walk around the area, before descending ourselves into the insanely claustrophobic, humid, cramped tunnels. It was definitely an experience, the 10 of us all shrieking and laughing and wondering how long it would be! Apparently we took the long route as well- it was probably only a few minutes but felt like forever!! After lunch, Kerryn and I caught a taxi to the Pagoda of the Jade Emperor (A Chinese temple) which wasn't quite what we expected but pretty cool. We then had a chill out in the park before meeting Gemma and Amy from the group at the Sheraton hotel- up to the 23rd Terrace bar - Happy Hour overlooking the city! The views were fantastic and it definitely felt a lot more relaxed being above it all. We've just finished a great dinner, and its time for bed!X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227537480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227537480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1227537480/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:57:48 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Sihanoukville, Cambodia

In Kampong Cham, once the others had returned from their bike ride and had a chance to shower off all the mud, we hopped into some Tuk Tuks (a motorbike that pulls a kind of cart with seats in it, if I didn't explain in the last blog) to the hotel managers home for a home cooked dinner. It also was Alvin's birthday, so we went with a hat theme- luckily Vanny/Harry cleared it, so we didn't seem disrespectful by wearing hats in the house! It was so delicious- just a huge spread of different dishes to share between us. To top it all off, "dessert" - fried Tarantulas! No joke! I ate a leg but was definitely not brave enough to eat the body- apparently they had exploding eggs inside, yuck! But it wasn't too horrible, just salty and chewy really. After, we took turns conquering our fears and holding a live one- luckily the fangs had been removed! Then it was time for the real dessert, a birthday cake which was a surprise since it was the first birthday of the group (I'm bringing up the tail end of birthdays in a few more weeks!). It was a good time and a great meal. Then we had a few more drinks from a little stall on the riverfront, across from the hotel.So, after departing Kampong Cham, we took a public bus to Phnom Penh, and after a lunch break, boarded a private minivan style bus to take us to our homestay. The money from the homestay and home-cooked dinner goes towards supporting the community and also saving the forest- a lot of deforestation occurs illegally in this area. We drove out to a little kitchen/restaurant in an entirely random area, and had an extremely sweaty game (no clue whats its called- we just aimed to keep up a shuttlecock-type object with our hands- the real way is with your feet but we were amateurs! ) Then we were served another amazing group style dinner. Yum! Once our bellies were full, we headed to another random place that had an even more random Karaoke television. Cambodians absolutely love Karaoke- the music channels have the words going along to every single song. There was a limited selection of 'English' songs. I bravely performed "Everysing I Do" thanks to excellent translation skills. They even make up new, horrible videos to go along with the songs! Then we just made our own jungle-style disco and basically danced like it was only our group in the middle of bloody nowhere listening to random Khmer music. Very strange and fun! Unique experience for sure. (Yes, there was beer involved!)In the morning after brekkie, we got back on the bus for the drive to Sihanoukville- Cambodia's beach destination. Well it was amazing! We splurged on a small entrance fee to use a private beach at a big hotel- hardly anyone there (more importantly, no one hassling you to buy things or stealing your valuables while someone else distracts you). Beautiful! In the evening we went to a restaurant on the beach that had seafood BBQ. It was so delicious, but we cannot figure out the source, this is when everyone starting getting serious stomach issues!!The next day, Kerryn (my roomie) and I bravely hopped on the back of a moto(rcyle) to head to some Khmer cooking lessons! What an experience. I made a fool of myself climbing onto the back of the bike, I quickly learned how to do it properly though. Kerryn and I held onto each other for comfort during the ride, but all was well! It just just the two of us, it was a really lovely English-run cooking school with an English-speaking Cambodian woman teaching us. We made 4 dishes (and somehow managed to eat them all! We could barely move by the time we left!) Spring rolls, (we made our own sweet & sour sauce!) Banana flower salad, Fish Amok (the classic khmer dish) and Banana Fritters for dessert. It was all so amazing, I don't even know if I'll be able to replicate it at home but I'll definitely be giving it a go! Once we finally waddled out, we went to the beach for an hour, and in the evening it was time for birthday round #2. 3 people down- vomiting, diarrhea, the works. So the group voted not to return to the same restaurant and we went to a Mexican place instead, donned our flower headwreaths that Harry had gotten us, and had another cake. Then it was time for some oceanfront drinks, at one point we were on the dance floor at one place and beetles were attacking! (The bright lights must have confused them into flying directly at us- repeatedly!)Next morning, it was my turn. Luckily no vomiting but I just holed up in the room all day, missing out on the beach and a trip to a local waterfall which was apparently quite cool and had a lot of local interaction. I went out for dinner and by the end of it ended up practically running home! So I took some antibiotics for my stomach, since there was a long bus journey the next day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226737620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226737620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226737620/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:51:21 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Kampong Cham, Cambodia

So after wandering around Bangkok, checking out Khao San road (big backpacker street- lots of hostels and souveniers etc), the Grand Palace, and the Viman Mek Mansion (a big teak mansion, former residence of one of the kings), it was back to the hotel for the group meeting. We met our tour leader, Vanny (A Cambodian leader for Cambodia, logically!). The group consists of 13 people, 8 British, 4 Aussies- and me! It's a really great group, after the meeting we went out for dinner and then the "shop drink" (i love English translations!) a cool little cart on the footpath with a few tables for some chilled out cocktails. I sampled the Singapore Sling (for a fraction of the price in Singapore!) 7am, we boarded our private bus to head to the border. We had lunch while some Visas were prepared, loaded our bags into a cart to meet us at the other side, and left Thailand for Cambodia. Now it was time for the "dancing road". A road thought to be purposely slow in repairing the notoriously crappy condition, for the benefit of airlines- 180K took about 5 hours! Along the way we stopped to see a boat race (minus the actual racing) which was cool. Clearly not very touristy area normally, we got stared at like we were celebrities or something! We finally reached Siem Reap, stocked up on some cash (two currencies are actually used- anything under $1, Cambodian riel, anything above, US dollars. ($1= 4000r) and headed for dinner where we had our first taste of Cambodian food and beer- yum! Afterwards, it turned out to be the water festival, and at night elaborate little "boats", illuminated with candles and incense, are floated down the river. It was beautiful! Also heaps of little fireworks lit, music in the background, and busy busy streets! Our leader got us a few boats, and we got to float them and make a wish- some eager boys jumped in the river to place our boats, so we wouldn't fall off the riverbank! Thursday morning- 4:45am. Time to get on our private bus and head for sunrise at Angkor Wat - an amazing ancient temple complex. We had a guide as well, so hilarious- he somehow picked up a Cockney (English) accent in his learnings of English- bloody brilliant (in his words! haha). My camera decided to give up for good after sunrise- in the bin it went. Great for the budget...! We spent the whole day exploring a few different, amazing temples- Angkor Thom City, Bayon temple, a quick photo op of Ko Tao, and an exploration of Ta Prohm, the temple famous for being in the tomb raider movie- overgrown by the jungle. On the way home, we stopped for a visit at the Land Mine museum. What a place. Reading the history just gives you chills. I was proud to find out though, that the museum was helped to open with the help of a Canadian photojournalist, and the "Öttawa Treaty" was (obviously) opened for signing in Canada, and the CLMMRF (Cambodian Land Mine Museum Relief fund) is run in Canada. For dinner, we went to a restaurant that put on an Apsara (traditional dance) show.Yesterday, back on the bus to head out to the Tonle sap river/lake, to board a boat to take us through the floating village. It was just amazing- houses everywhere on stilts, complete with cages for pigs and chickens, and a few boats for every house. They also have a little 'market'- boats loaded with fruit and veggies, rowed down the river. We stopped at a little island, and visited the schoolkids and did some English/Cambodian counting practice (i can count to ten in Khmer!). On the way back, we stopped at an orphanage where they did the traditional dancing for us- they were just about as good as the adult performance we had seen the night before! We had some time to play and take photos- they were such beautiful, happy kids!After lunch we visited a silk factory, saw the silk worms and the whole process from the spinning, to the making of the silks. the products were a bit out of our price range though! Finally we went back, and i walked into town to drop a heap of money on a new digital camera. I ended up with a (pink!) Olympus with 7x zoom, a 'free' 1gb card, and a spare battery for $365- USD :( It seems like a great camera though. In the evening we went to the night markets where i finally did some shopping, a few silk scarves and traditional cambodian checked scarves (kramas) and some very stylish (that was extreme sarcasm!) fisherman pants. Just had a chilled out evening over a few beers.This morning we got on a public bus to Kampong Cham. Everyone is out on a bicycle ride, which means I'm out! (Note to self- this summer, MUST learn. No excuses!) We are having a home dinner tonight, and onto the homestay tomorrow before we get to the beach!X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226736480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226736480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226736480/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:45:05 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Bangkok, Thailand

After a fairly smooth ferry ride, I had arrived to Ko Phi Phi (Ko is Island in Thai). I had one of the booking places tell me the cheapest accommodation- a steep 500B- so when I saw a girl standing alone while I was in the process of booking the accommodation, I asked her if she wanted to share a room- success! We upgraded to an air-con room, only 350B each per night. Bargain! Mary is from Ireland, so we ended up spending the next 3 days together and getting on great. We just lazed about for a while, went to the beach, and checked out the tiny town. Later on, she talked me into an Intro Dive (she had intended to do a dive course, but was still too sore due to a motorbike accident in Vietnam). So it was an early morning, we headed to the office where we were given a quick rundown on the day. We headed to the pier to board the boat with another woman who was doing her first dive as well, as part of a dive course. Mary tagged along for snorkeling and moral support!We reached the dive site, in a sheltered bay, basically the best way to describe is a giant rock sticking up out of the sea (most of Ko Phi Phi is like that!) Adam, my instructor, got me kitted up, reviewed the critical skills, and it was off the boat and into the water! We had a little practice on the surface, then all grabbed the line and began our descent. I was scared shitless! but once we got down, it was so cool- a nice change from snorkeling, to be able to get right close up. We saw a leopard shark just chilling on the bottom, and a giant moray eel (just its head) looking quite angry. We found Nemo and plenty of other brightly coloured fish. After 50 minutes, back on the boat for lunch and a bit of a break. Luckily it was calm, so I had a chance to recover from a hit of seasickness, before psyching myself up for round two. This time, we saw a sea turtle, sea slugs, and of course heaps more fish. Some of the schools were so huge, and swam right in front of you- so cool! Finally it was back on the boat for good, and back to the Island- I survived! I wasn't too sure straightaway if it was something i would repeat, however I dreamt of it that night (in a good way) so who knows! Not anytime soon though- too expensive!After lunch and a laundry drop, i headed off in search of a massage. i got a one hour Thai style massage for 250B- can I say ouch? But in a very good way. It was actually pretty comical, my lady didn't speak much English, and I definitely looked a fool by not understanding at all the positions she wanted me to be in- also putting on the fishermans pants on backwards (first time!) Much needed after a year though!Monday morning, we finally got a bit of a sleep-in, but the rain starting lashing down outside- not good with 3 hours between check out and the ferry. We bided our time with brekkie and the internet, then it was onto Krabi to catch an overnight bus to Bangkok. (Mary was heading that way too). It was a 14 hour, very uncomfy and cramped journey, but at 6am, we made it into the city. Luckily, restaurants were open so early, so that it was a respectable hour when I got to the hotel- my new roomie was already there- time for the intrepid Adventure to begin!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226062920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226062920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1226062920/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:41:30 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Patong, Phuket, Thailand

So, Thursday morning I awoke to more rain. After lazing about since I wasn't going to attempt any quick exploring thanks to the weather, I made my way to the MRT station and hopped on the first of 3 trains to get to the airport.The Singapore airport is pretty cool! They were in the midst of decorating it for Christmas, and i had one last can of Root Beer for who knows how long. (I was pleased to find they sell RB in Singa- I had one every day!) It was on time to board the plane, it was "free seating" so i ended up with a seat right 2 rows back, aisle (my fave) and no one next to me. Nice!Upon landing, I calculated how much baht (B) I should need for 6 days and made a withdrawal. (I need to start taking out more than I think I need. I guess it is a good way to curb spending on souvenirs!) Then I found a company that runs minibuses to the main locations. I had wanted to stay in Phuket Town and catch a ferry in the morning, but no one else was going and they need 6 people to make the run- so I got persuaded to head for Patong Beach, an extremely touristy beachside town. I randomly picked a place for dropoff on the map called "Budget Guesthouse" but they didn't give me my map back, and I got dropped off on the main street being pointed, "that way"- no help at all. After some wandering and asking about 4 people, turning down 2 rooms @ B800 each, I finally saw a glorious sign for the VIP hostel network, along with another sign saying 'Rooms Vacant'. I struggled up the stairs (no handrail!) and booked in for 2 nights, and enquired about a ferry, which I ended up booking for only B350, including minibus to the harbour. Bargain.After unloading, I headed for the beach. Definitely overdeveloping, but nice to be on the water once again. The water is so fantastic though- cooling but not cold! i chilled out until evening, then ended up at McDonalds for dinner (they don't really have cheap stalls, although I found a food court which does cheap Thai, not too authentic but does the trick). Anyways, I had a "Shrimp Burger"- a batter patty of minced up shrimp. Different. Maybe I should have had the Samauri Pork Burger... I found a supermarket and got some water, and scoped out beer prices and just had a general gawk at all the products in Thai. Definitely don't cater too much for tourists haha! This morning I wandered around the streets, finding out exactly how much of a tourist destination it is. Every shop is either a small bar, souvenirs/clothes etc, beauty/massage spa, or tailor. I let myself get sucked into going into one of the tailors, just to see what it was about. Not much point though, since i'm hitting the gym ASAP when I get home! Then it was the beach, now I'm just chilling and about to head to the supermarket for some beer to wind down the evening. I'm off early in the am to Ko Phi Phi, where I'll spend 2 days before heading overnight to Bangkok to meet my tour! X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1225890180/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1225890180/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1225890180/tpod.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:36:42 -0400 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Singapore, Singapore

So,  a fantastic last day in Perth, spent picnic(k?)ing in King's Park with a couple (my age-ish) that I had met at the family picnic I went to last week, watching the Red Bull air race. Not an air SHOW, but an actual race course set up with inflatable gates over the Swan River. Pretty cool, but even better was when the did in fact show off a little bit at the end with an aerial team and a hugely loud fighter jet etc. Then it was on the train to Cottesloe, where I stayed last time- I had to pick up my snorkel gear I had left with a friend there. Once that was done, I strolled along the beach before heading back to pack up. Despite my major purging efforts, my pack still turned out to be nearly 17 kilos. HOW?Anyways, Monday morning bright and early I show up at the airport, only to hear murmurs that the flight was delayed. This was indeed true, we had to wait an extra 6 hours. They gave us $10 food vouchers, not really a fair trade since my planned time for sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur (to be referred to as KL from now on) was shot, and wasted in the airport lounge. When we checked in a few hours later, I was given another voucher as well, so I got a roll to take onto the plane with me so I didn't have to pay for a meal. The seats were pretty darn small, I guess you get what you pay for.We finally arrived in KL around 7pm. (13 hours ahead of Toronto). It seemed like it took forever to get my bag (ok, it pretty much did- first one on, last one off) and then I ran to the info desk to find out how to get to Sentral train station. I was directed to an express bus, and got there at 9pm. After dodging touts for cab rides, I found the KTM ticket desk and asked if it was too late for the overnight train to SIngapore(train was due to depart at 9:19pm). Luckily it was no dramas, and after a little bit of a wait (the train was actually late) I found my 'berth', a tiny little top bunk which was to house both me and all my bags. I had to sleep curled into a ball, since my legs had nowhere else to go. I actually slept pretty well, except every few hours the train would stop and it would wake me. Just before 6am, we were awoken by Malaysian customs officials coming in, pulling back the curtains and shouting at us to wake up and get our passports. An hour later at the Singapore checkpoint, we had to file off with all our bags and go through the customs there.Once we finally arrived at the Singapore train station, I found my way to the address for a hostel listed in the Lonely Planet, to find out it no longer was there. As I sat scrutinizing my guidebook, pondering where I was going to sleep, a really nice man working in the area pulled out a map of Chinatown, showed me another place nearby ("For you! Backpack!" while pointing wildly at the beast on my back). So I made my way there and was eventually let in (good security, anyways) and successfully paid for 2 nights accommodation. After a shower and an email home, I was off.First stop was the big Chinatown Plaza, for some serious rehydration and some food. After a few overwhelmed circles around the food court, I settled on some plain noodles. The words of advice from the travel doctor booklet were echoing in my head, so that definitely slowed my food decision down. I then navigated my way through a marketful of stalls, replacing my lost hairband, and buying the coconut watch I had wanted since Darwin- each 1/3 the price they were in Australia. I then found the Merlion park (the mascot of Singapore is a thing, for lack of better word, with the body of a mermaid and the head of a lion. It shoots water out of its mouth as a bonus). Imagine my delight when I turned the opposite direction of the fountain and lo and behold, my dreams of Starbucks in Singapore had come true. Afterwards, i went to the Singapore Art Museum, which is surprising full of mostly modern art pieces by artists from all over SE Asia. (as a bonus, it was free from 12-2 M-F!) I then wandered along to Kampong Gelam, where I paid a visit to the Malay Cultural Centre. I then made my way to Orchard Rd which is a huge shopping district, with massive (and i mean MASSIVE) shopping complexes lining the road on both sides. I hit one mall, bought a notebook and some pens, and deciding my feet could stand for no longer. it was back to the hostel (by underground, no more walking!) and when I emerged from the MRT station, was surround by even more market stalls (I didn't think it possible) and it became that much harder to resist the temptation! Then I turned around and went straight back out for a few beers with one of the guys staying at the hostel, and we had a quick walk around one of the temples.This morning it has been pouring rain off and on, to the point where I've just come back because I'm sick of it. I did some browsing though the shopping centres on Orchard Rd, so much for getting a bargain camera here, they are all ridiculously expensive! I did get my post sorted, it is much much cheaper here than Australia. I probably spent about half on stamps than if I had posted my stuff from Australia. Bargain! unfortunately I did most of the stuff I wanted to do yesterday (that's indoors) and with this weather, I'm just taking a break for now. If it clears up, I might head back out in the evening.Tomorrow afternoon, I fly to Phuket! Beaches, here I come! (please don't rain!)As a side note: I notice a lot of people vandalize toilets by writing, *so-and-so* waz ere. Waz you ere during your English lessons or what?X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1233032220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1233032220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1233032220/tpod.html Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:34:05 -0500 New Zealand and Australia... my temporary departure from the real world.

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Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

So, after a relatively short flight made shorter by lack of sleep-induced unconsciousness, we landed in Hobart at a tiny airport. After luggage collection, we purchased round trip tickets for the airport shuttle, and were dropped off at our hotel. Along the way we passed a harbour, and just nice, very New Zealand-esque scenery as promised by basically everyone who has been to Tasmania. After dropping our bags, we set out in search of dinner, not entirely confident in the options after 9pm in this sleepy little town, We got lucky though, and found an Indian Curry House, which pleased me since I had been craving curry for a while! Back at the hostel, I managed to climb into my top bunk which was awkwardly placed under a sloped ceiling, making getting in hard as I had to kind of climb halfway, lie down, and army crawl to get my head to the pillow. And then, there was getting out- WOW. Good think Ashlee at 6 feet tall got the bottom bunk!In the morning, we stored our bags then set out for a walk in "Downtown Hobart". Still very sleepy on a Sunday morning! We found a cafe for brekkie, then did a bit of browsing. We chilled out back at the hostel for a bit before making the trek to the bus station, and purchasing all of our tickets from Tassielink that we'd use during our week. A few hours later, we arrived in Launceston for Ash to discover she had left her guidebook at the bus station in Hobart. So we got directions from one of the staff, which were completely wrong, and thank goodness someone else who knew what they were talking about had marked the map and I set us on the right course. We were glad to see both a supermarket and bottleshop in immeidiate vicinity to the hostel, and made a gourmet meal of pasta and sauteed veg, with brie and crackers for dessert, topped off by a few local Tassie beers, brewed right in downtown Launceston! We had the morning free to explore before bussing to Bicheno, so we walked along the riverside and poked around the "Centre for Beer Lovers" set up at the brewery. We sorted out our other bus tickets, then back to the hostel for lunch and to get our bags. Luckily, since we knew where we were going, the walk seemed much shorter. In Bicheno for the evening, we got a dinner of fish and chips to eat on the beach. I was so content just lying there listening to the waves crashing- there is no better sound to my ears. It was way too chilly to test out the water however, so we called it a night and I caught p on Grey's Anatomy on my iPod.It was up superearly to catch another bus, this time to Swansea, another seaside town. It was too early to check in, so we suited up and walked to the beach. And what a beautiful day it turned out to be!! Thanks to my brilliant idea of using SPF 6 oil (because I "never burn"- way to jinx yourself!) I got totally fried, but the water was FREEZING so I didn't even notice at the time! We had a tapas lunch, then bought some dinner supplies- minced wallaby, anyone? We made spag bol for dinner, and played "Cluedo" (what we like to call Clue here in North America) and popped our way to Trouble. Back in the room, we chatted to another girl, who like us, was headed to Port Arthur the next evening.In the morning, we abandoned plans for more beach time thanks to my red skin, and I set a record for myself, by starting drinking at 10am. (Hey, I didn't want to take the beer on the bus!) We played cards reminiscent of our road trip days, it was actually quite fun. Then it was two bus trips and we arrived in Port Arthur, only to find out there was no method of transportation between the camp ground and the historic site, meaning we would have to walk home in the dark after our booked GHOST TOUR for the evening. Then, we walked out and ran into Nancy, the girl in our room the night before. Right away she asked if we were still going on the ghost tour, and if we needed a ride- because she had booked onto it as well, and her friend hadn't, and she needed us as company! What a lifesaver. So we drove early, had a coffee to help pre-warm ourselves, and followed the older man guide whom I had (appropriately) assessed would be the best one.After Ashlee quickly volunteered to be one of the 3 lantern holders (smart thinking, except it limited our abilities to grab onto each other while walking) , we went up the path to the old church, and heard the first of many stories for the night about spirits remaining. Then it was into the Parsonage House, one of Australia's most haunted buildings. The lanterns were left outside and all the lights were turned off. Luckily it was dusk thanks to daylight savings in the summer! Then it was into the morgue, where they autopsied the bodies. I was especially creeped out since it was drizzling, and he told us sometimes when it rains, rats get in and crawl on people's feet who wear flip flops... LIKE ME. I couldn't wait to get out of there. I definitely had weird feelings in these places! Lastly it was the Separate Prison, where the worst were locked up in solitary, with little noise, light, food, or human interaction. By the time he finished telling us about things that had happened there (both prisoners and tourists like ourselves) we all basically ran down the corridor to get the heck out. Once we were done the tour, we got our certificates of bravery and headed back to the campsite. Can I just say, thank goodness we got a ride- it was all misty, definitely eerie! The perfect end to a creepy night.In the morning, Nancy dropped Ash & I back off at the historic site before she left town with her mate. We went all in and got the audio tour, had brekkie and joined the intro walking tour before going on a cruise around the Port. Then we wandered around the sight for many hours, and watching all three of the plays put on re-enacting the life of prisoners. We eventually called it a day and walked home, stopping for dinner on the way. In the morning, it was a super early start to catch the bus back to Hobart at 6:45am. We arrived, found our hostel and stored our bags and hit the town. I bought my Uggs finally! Some nice chocolate brown tall ones. Then we headed to the harbour, had some fish and chips, and topped it off with some Guinness and Kilkenny as our tradition had begun on my last night in New Zealand as well. Ashlee was gone in the early morning for her flight, but I had the whole day to wander. I headed to the Salamanca Markets for a browse and some people watching. Some more seafood by the harbour, and one more tasmanian beer. Eventually it was time to collect my bags and catch the shuttle to the airport. My time in Australia (other than LOTS of waiting and poor sleeping to come in the Sydney airport) was done.X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231916520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231916520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231916520/tpod.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:12:40 -0500 New Zealand and Australia... my temporary departure from the real world.

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

So, after awaking after not nearly enough sleep on New Years Day, I arranged a rendevous with Ashlee by the ferry harbour- lunch first, then a boat ride over to Manly.It. Was. Ridiculous.I guess everyone had the same idea to head to the beach for New Years- the ferry, the town, and the beach were completely rammed! We managed to stake out a patch of sand where Ash could have some shade, and I could have some sun, so we were both satisfied. We didn't end up hanging out too long, we did a little bit of planning for Tasmania but basically we seem to be indecisive. We did however pick some towns that seemed to be worth a visit, pending bus schedules etc. Once back in Sydney, I got a text from someone who had been a roomie in Perth- we organized a drink at Darling Harbour, so I somehow kept myself amused until we met up. (Sadly my memories are already fading!) We had a catch up and a relatively early night.Next morning, as I was just about to get on a bus, Ashlee texted- another planning session was in desperate need, since bus schedules or hostel availability weren't meshing. We figured options out, made calls, and set everything in stone. Then I did a little shopping- I was exisiting on 2 pairs of pants, one which had managed to be coloured on by my pen sticking through my hangbag. Great. Then it was time to meet up with Steph, Brandon Rohan and Jo, as we had gotten tickets to a Skrem & Benga show at the Oxfrd Arts Factory- I don't even know how to describe it but they are just DJs spinning vinyl or something haha- it was not something I would ever think to go to but it ended up being an amazing night. In the morning, I thought I could sleep in since I had been under the impression I had paid for the night, since Sydney New Years week indicates a week minimum. Apparently they had not made me pay, and I was unceremoniously booted from my bed- I had to scramble to pack my stuff half asleep and very hungover. (A hint: red wine and Rum & Diet do NOT mix well). Anyways, once that was done I hopped on a bus and headed for Coogee- I did the 5km coastal walk to Bondi- no brekkie (I had had a huge 3am pizza snack), no water, and in my flip flops. The true backpacker way! I was glad to head to the airport to catch a flight to Hobart, Tasmania with Ashlee- detox was on the way! X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231458840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231458840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/nz-oz-07-08/1231458840/tpod.html Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:22:24 -0500 New Zealand and Australia... my temporary departure from the real world.

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

So, after a long lounge in the Perth airport, I was on an overnight flight to Sydney, arriving just before 7am. I had hopes of meeting with one of my Intrepid mates, but alas it was not to be, and I jumped on the train and made my way back to the Billabong Gardens hostel in Newtown, shelled out a heap of money (New Years rates) and snuggled into bed for some catch up sleep. I headed to the city to check if my mail had arrived- and it had NOT. I had sent myself a package from Bangkok with all my warm winter clothes ("all" meaning one pair of jeans and a hoodie) and my Aussie guidebook. As well a card from Aunt Melissa. Nothing! I also went back on my last day to check, and still nothing. Apparently they lied to me in Thailand and said the service I paid for would arrive in 2-3 weeks but really they meant months. Great. Because I really have loads of cash to spare on a new wardrobe...Then I went to the travel agent to pick up my tickets home, turns out it was an electronic ticket I could have printed myself but between the 3 emails I got and never read while in Asia, it was easier to clarify in person. Later on, I got ahold of Steph, the Canadian I met while at a family picnic (no, not my family) in Perth, and went to the air show with before I jetted off the Asia. Her brother was down for a visit, so we met up and went bar-hopping (inadvertently, as we were a bit slow to catch on to the fact that we were on the gay street apparently). Rohan, her bf, and his friend Jo met us later on and we managed to find a bar that was open late on a Sunday, and stayed out until the trains started running again in the morning. (It's 4am, by the way, not 5!)After a sleep in, I made ym way to Bondi beach where I me tup with Ashlee to "make plans" for Tassie, but we ended up just lying on the beach. The water is NOT warm! Afterwards I bumped into Steph & co, so while Ash headed back, we went out for an early dinner, before heading back to the city to get ready to go out again. We headed to the Opera bar this time, which is obviously quite close to the Opera house, which later on was surprisingly empty, Jo & I just chilled out looking over the water and appreciating the city. It was a semi-early night as I was shattered.Another sleep in and I dressed up for the evening and headed to Rohan's hotel in the city. I went for my New Years booze shop and ended up with my (now) traditional Pink Champagne (its actually called Pink- I've gone this toure 3 years running now) and, thanks to a conversation the day before with Brandon, Steph's brother about how no one drinks Fosters, ended up buying a 6 pack just to say we tried it. Once I started drinking it I noticed the date- May 2007! So, that is proof how much Aussies do NOT drink Foster's, It's a lie! Anyways, after some drinking, we took a train to Milson's point where we wandered aimlessly for some time before finally finding our address- they had found out about some house party, at an apartment RIGHT ON THE HARBOUR, through the couchsurfers website. It took some time from finding the place to getting in, but finally an open door an we had arrived. It was such an amazing location- literally right on the water. We stayed in the backyard pretty much the whole time, it was pretty quiet because there was a DJ on the rooftop! But we had a wicked night, a spectacular view of the fireworks, they had a fmily showing at 9pm which I was impressed with, and those were the "crappy" version. At midnight, it was just amazing- the whole sky was filled with glittering lights and it was just mental. What a night. Eventually I made it back home, which took ages thanks to extreme crowding on public transport. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience.X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1230534360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1230534360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/decemberchick/4/1230534360/tpod.html Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:16:42 -0500 In the Land of Elephants - travels around Southeast Asia.

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Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

So, luckily after I wrote the last blog, I got a call from Tik that she was in the area. After a bit of a run-around (in Aus, when you receive a call it doesn't cost you, but in Asia it just ate up all my credit, and I had to get change from a vendor and ask her how to dial the payphone for a Thai mobile!) we finally found each other. We had a few drinks at the dame street bar that I had gone to on my first night with the Indochina group, and waited for a few people. Eventually we headed out to this gay bar, where I had to wear heels for the first time in over a year and a half- and too small ones at that! Ouch. It was a good night out, we ended up staying out til near 3ish, before I got back to my hotel to get my oney's worth for one hour of sleep, before catching a cab to the airport (which, by the way, seems like nothing ever happened! Business as usual!)By the time I made it to the hostel in KL, I realized full on that something I had eaten on Christmas day (take your pick: shaved ice, questionably coloured ham, or post-bar street food) was NOT agreeing with my stomach (yes, again!) and I didn't leave the hostel on day 1, except for a meal in the restaurant attached to the guesthouse. It was an Iraqui chicken and bread soup dish, it was honestly SO amazing. I couldn't get over how good it was!On day 2, I finally dragged myself out of bed at noon (the mono kicks in whenever I get a bit ill and I can't stop sleeping). It was kind of a letdown day. The city os full of cool sights but the streets are so hard to navigate. Not to mention they all seem like freeways, except there are hardly any pedestrian crossings anywhere! I did my share of dashing madly across the road, luckily compared to everywhere else in Asia, it was relatively quiet traffic wise. I checked out some markets but I was in no mood for shopping. (Seriously, I think I have actually shopped myself out. So, its not an impossibility!). I walked around the Jamek mosque, went to the Petronas Towers (but tickets to go on the bridge were out for the day) and then to the KL Tower, which, thanks to my Lonely Planet being out of date (Angus & Robsertson can expect a nasty email from me) the price was nearly 3x what the guidebook quoted, and I physically did not have enough money to go up to the observation deck. On the bright side, i found an A&W (I didn't go though- i figured I could hold on a few more short weeks!) AND the Asian version of Root Beet, quite randomly, I think its called Sarsi or something. Yum! After giving up, it was nap time until I headed back to the airport- destination: Australia! Good bye Asia! We had some good times, some bad times, but I will definitely be back!X
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